The event was organized as a joint effort by the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR), the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the Szentendre Open‑Air Museum, and the City of Visegrád.
The multi‑day conference was opened by Hungary’s Minister of Culture, Balázs Hankó, and concluded with a video message from the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Bjørn Berge. A total of 350 participants from 41 European countries attended. Those present included representatives of already certified Cultural Routes as well as candidate routes, members of the Cultural Routes University Network, non‑governmental organizations, experts in the field of monument and cultural heritage protection, and representatives of the European Youth Centre Budapest (EYCB) and the European Youth Card Association (EYCA).
The theme and motto, “Transmission and Innovation: Encouraging Youth Engagement along the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe,” were explored through inspiring keynote speeches and panel discussions, while experiences were exchanged informally during breaks.
In order to achieve the goal of better involving younger generations in the preservation of our shared European cultural heritage, several key challenges were identified, including:
- the transmission of knowledge and values
- communication on youth‑oriented platforms using engaging, high‑quality content
- involvement in decision‑making processes
- provision of the necessary infrastructure
During the conference, Estonia officially joined the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA), and two new Cultural Routes—the Leonardo da Vinci Route and the European Route of Historic Pharmacies—received their certification.
Via Habsburg would like to extend its sincere thanks to all organizers and helpers for making this outstanding event possible, during which we were able to establish many new contacts and gather inspiring ideas and impulses.